KATHMANDU, APRIL 30
Prime Minister Balendra Shah's political advisor Asim Shah has come out in defence of the government's sweeping package of ordinances, pushing back against criticism by arguing the measures are rooted in democratic values and aimed squarely at unblocking a public service delivery system long paralysed by political appointments and legal bottlenecks.
Speaking through his social media accounts on Thursday, Advisor Shah said the ordinances were introduced to clear policy-level complexities in Nepal's administrative system - not to serve partisan interests. "The ordinances are not to serve the interests of some individuals or groups but to ensure the effectiveness of the state mechanisms," he said.
"They will facilitate result-oriented governance by ending the deadlock seen in work execution."
Shah noted that RSP President Rabi Lamichhane had already asked politically appointed officials to pave the way for governance reforms in line with the fresh mandate of the people - framing the ordinances as a follow-through on an electoral promise rather than a unilateral executive move.
The defence comes a day after the Council of Ministers approved the package on April 27 and recommended the ordinances to President Ramchandra Paudel for authentication - a move that drew immediate attention for both its breadth and its timing.
What the ordinances do
The package spans six ordinances touching some of the most politically sensitive areas of Nepal's governance architecture.
The most consequential amends the Constitutional Council (Functions, Duties, Rights and Procedures) Act, 2066, tightening procedures for meetings convened to recommend appointments to constitutional and legal bodies - a direct strike at the patronage-driven appointment culture that has accumulated across successive governments.
A separate but related ordinance introduces special provisions for the dismissal of public officials previously appointed or nominated on political grounds, giving the government a legal instrument to act on its depoliticisation agenda.
The cooperative sector, where thousands of small depositors remain unable to access savings locked in troubled institutions, is addressed through an amendment to the Cooperative Act, 2074. The ordinance requires savings-and-loan cooperatives to obtain an operational licence and establishes a rotational relief fund for the immediate return of savings to members of distressed institutions.
A fourth ordinance amends Acts related to universities and health science institutes, consistent with the broader push to remove political influence from public appointments in the education and health sectors.
The most wide-ranging measure amends twenty Acts in a single ordinance, clearing legal obstacles across land, land measurement, land revenue, education, forests, health, civil administration, and insurance - sectors where accumulated statutory complexity has long delayed service delivery and public construction.
Prime Minister Shah's press and research expert Deepa Dahal confirmed the details of all six ordinances following the cabinet decision.
Opposition parties have yet to formally respond to the package, though the use of the ordinance route, bypassing parliamentary debate, is likely to draw scrutiny in the days ahead.
